School Food

Our goal is to design a strategy around how Lynn residents and institutional partners can work with and support the school district to provide more healthy and culturally relevant food in Lynn public schools:

One Year Plan:

Expand existing school Salad Days network by 2 schools - by bringing the total of 11 out of 18 elementary schools by the spring of 2019. (Salad Days is an experiential learning opportunity for all 3rd grade students, in Lynn Public Schools, to plant, take care of, harvest and eat their own spring salad mix and fall root vegetables.)

Meet with Superintendent to see if the Salad Days model is still viable and the partnership should continue by the fall of 2018. Done! - the Superintendent arranged a meeting with remaining principals to measure interest.

Have The Food Project (TFP) Dirt Crew build raised beds in the late fall or early spring at local elementary schools to be finished by the spring of 2019. Done! - successfully built new garden beds at Aborn and Cobbett Elementary Schools.

Have FoodCorps and UMass Extension partner and incorporate two new schools in the current systems for Salad Days by the spring of 2019. Done! - working with FoodCorps and UMass to incorporate Aborn and Cobbett Elementary Schools into the rotation.

Develop sustainable model of staffing and resources that can support the Salad Days model in the School District by the spring of 2019.

Meet with Backyard Growers to hear more about their model and sustainability and how they work with Gloucester Public Schools by the fall of 2018. Done! - now looking to offer support for the work in Lynn (training, etc.)

Research other potential staffing possibilities to support Salad Days to more schools by the fall of 2018. Done! - partnering with North Shore Community College to engage with their Federal Work Study Program to support Salad Days and other agricultural work.

Fold in additional staff support by the spring of 2019. Done! - currently interviewing for 5 Work Study positions with The Food Project.

If you want to learn more about this, please contact Makenzie Mackin mmackin [at] lynnma.gov

Food Education

Our Goal is to plan and implement an experiential learning strategy to shift health outcomes related to food for residents in Lynn:

One Year Plan:

Survey landscape of current food education pieces happening in Lynn by the fall of 2018.

Identify what topics should be covered as part of ‘food education’ by the fall of 2018. Done! - revamping of some existing workshops and developing new race, class, history and environment focused workshops around food.

Compile running list of all groups and individuals who are doing food education trainings/workshops in the city and share with others by the fall of 2018. Done! - the subcommittee has put together an initial list that will be ongoing and will share on website.

Pilot an experiential food education program for Lynn residents that compliments and leverages existing food education resources by the winter of 2018.

Work with TFP Root Crew to create a public workshop series that engages with community members around the cooking and eating of food by the winter of 2018. Done! - working with Preps by Chefs and Romeo’s Smoothies - both Lynn residents - to launch pilot workshop open for Lynn residents.

Work with TFP Root Crew to create a public workshop series that engages with community members around the general knowledge and awareness about the food system by the winter of 2018. Done! - piloting workshop series that will focus on food systems, workers rights, what is in your food, labeling and cooking.

If you want to learn more about this, please contact Adesuwa Usuanlele ausuanlele [at] thefoodproject.org

Access

Identify two mobile market sites in the city to provide access to fresh, healthy and local food by the summer of 2019.

Create categories to identify market sites (population density, access to public transport, demographics) by the winter 2018. Done! - looking at potential social infrastructure sites, where residents already gather, in target areas accessible to public transportation.

Identify two new market sites to implement Mobile Markets in the summer by the spring 2019. Done! - securing 3 new market sites. 2 at schools we already partner with and 1 at a community hub.

Work with TFP Root Crew to create marketing plan for new Mobile Markets sites by the spring of 2019.

Explore possibility of centralized food distribution system by the winter of 2018.

Work in partnership with the Food Business priority Subcommittee to identify mid-size level grocer that would be interested in working on a smaller alternative food distribution system by the winter of 2018. Done! - introduced to, and now working with, Ernie’s Harvest Time to be a central distribution site for local produce for the city of Lynn.

Streamline mobile market process to reach more residents and sites by the winter of 2018.

Secure funding for the development of a mobile market trailer that will streamline setup and transportation of produce by the fall of 2018. Done! - secured MDAR (Mass Department of Agricultural Resources) funding and will work with local contractor to build a trailer by this winter to launch for 2019.

If you want to learn more about this, please contact Anika Whitmore awhitmore [at] thefoodproject.org

Affordability

Our goal is to expand, develop and support a variety of funding streams for consumer incentives that focus on local purchasing of fruits and vegetables for low income residents in Lynn.

One Year Plan:

Develop a network of local farmers and consumers that can advocate for the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) at key moments throughout the year - ongoing.

Work with TFP Root Crew youth to educate and organize community members to advocate for HIP funding by the spring of 2019. Done! - partnering with Lynn Grows Steering Committee as advocacy group for food systems related asks.

Develop strategy, tracking and communications process to mobilize network by the winter of 2018. Done! - tracking and developing strategy around how to utilize this partnership most effectively.

Gather state data on HIP to share information with institutions and community members by the winter of 2018. Done! - MA Food Trust has put together a very informative resource page that is easily accessible. Please click here.

Research, develop and pilot a new innovative model that addresses those that still experience food insecurity, but do not qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by the summer of 2019.

Research information about value card programs/ loyalty programs to see what has been implemented in the country by the winter of 2018. Done! - looked a different web based resources and checked in with different national listservs. Will be looking at the possibility of using a token/card system as was done with the start of our SNAP matching pilots.

Gain access to Lynn Community Health Center’s survey data to help inform a new model for food insecure clients that do not qualify for SNAP by the winter of 2018. Done! - partnering with Lynn Community Health Center to utilize their Hunger Vital Sign screenings to help identify a pool of candidates to enroll in new pilot program.

Develop and implement plan to recruit residents to enroll in SNAP and residents that do not qualify for SNAP by the winter of 2018. Done! - connecting with Lynn Community Health Center about specific departments to recruit our pool for.

Develop and pilot new model for food insecure clients that do not qualify for SNAP by the summer of 2019.

Identify funding streams to provide Incentives - ongoing.

Have the TFP Organizational Research Fellow and Development team identify streams of funding for pool of money to pilot partnership which will be an ongoing process - ongoing.

If you want to learn more about this, please contact Manny Encarnacion eencarnacion [at] thefoodproject.org

Gardens

Our goal is to build upon existing partnership with the city around community garden management and build up the community garden network.

One Year Plan:

Build 45 new community garden beds by the spring of 2019.

Work with LFFA to identity new garden sites to build by the winter of 2018. Done! - compiled a list of garden sites to fulfill our 45 garden bed quota.

Work with TFP Dirt Crew youth to build raised beds by the spring of 2019. Done! - currently scheduling Saturday and after school work opportunities with Dirt Crew to build raised beds.

Create more robust communications and engagement between gardens and gardeners in the city by the winter of 2018.

Survey how to connect and communicate efficiently with all gardens and gardeners in the city (LFFA) by the winter of 2018. Done! - Community Garden Coordinator has developed network to be in touch with gardeners

Implement new communications process with all the gardens and gardeners in the city (LFFA) by the winter of 2018. Done! - Community Garden Coordinator has developed network to be in touch with gardeners and are already in process of hosting various events to bring gardeners together (i.e., hosting a seed saving workshop and establishing a seed library at the Lynn Public library)

Work with TFP Dirt Crew to celebrate the gardens and gardeners in the city by the winter of 2018. Done! - have worked with gardeners, schools, and the farmers market to establish a large Farm Festival in partnership with North Shore Community College for the spring. Seedlings, a Farmers Market, and information about the food system will be shared.

Explore what it would take to transition Garden Coordinator position to the City by the spring of 2019.

Have conversations with the city about the possibility and what it would take to make this happen by the winter of 2019.

If you want to learn more about this, please contact Mary Gatlin lynncommunitygardens [at] gmail.com

local Food Business

Our goal is to build a win-win local and healthy food system that encourages small business development, economic growth and affordable local food/ healthy options for Lynn residents.

One Year Plan:

Have at least 3 businesses/vendors committed to offering produce (local and non-local) in spaces where normally not available by the summer of 2019.

Work with committee members to identify 3 businesses/vendors that offer food that is culturally relevant who are interested in getting more produce in their space by the fall of 2018. Done! - have established partnership with Ernie’s Harvest Time as a central distributor. Bodega Makeover Project is helping to establish relationships with at least 2 bodegas in Lynn. These relationships will be established this summer.

Conduct meetings with 3 businesses/vendors on how they are willing to partner by the winter of 2018. Done - in regular communication and synchup with Ernie’s Harvest Time, and will be conduct meetings with other vendors this summer.

Partner with one business/vendor to measure metrics around impact, conducting pre and post surveys by the winter of 2018.

Work with the Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF) to apply for Technical Assistance Funding to implement pilot distribution and business model with metrics and measurements by the summer of 2019. Done! - Ernie’s Harvest Time has applied for LEAF funding for TA. The Food Project is working with Ernie’s Harvest Time to develop pre and post surveys and gather relevant information to determine the market for local, fresh, culturally relevant produce.

Create positive marketing campaign for partnering business/vendors by the fall of 2018.

Work with TFP Root Crew youth to develop and implement marketing plan with involved businesses/vendors by the spring of 2019. Done - our Root Crew cohort will have a Lynn Grows Peer Leader that will specialize in helping Ernie’s Harvest Time with marketing around offering local produce to Lynn residents.

If you want to learn more about this, please contact John Wang jwang [at] thefoodproject.org